The Four Beta Brothers

Chapter 15 - Nothing More than Mulch

JUNIPER

	I stood in the middle of the dorm with my overnight bag in my arms, gawking at how large this suite was. It was nothing like the two-bedroom suite Moira and I shared. The common area was at least twice the size, and the furniture looked brand new. There was a small, marble counter that separated the main area from the kitchen.

	This was why this dorm was considered the “rich kid dorm.” I didn’t know how much a place like this would cost, but there was no way I would ever be able to afford it.

	“Are you sure it’s okay that I stay here?” I asked in a hushed tone. It was dark and quiet in the dorm, and I didn’t want to risk waking anyone up.

	“Of course. You can sleep in my bed, and I’ll—”

	“The couch is fine,” I quickly insisted. Asher had already offered his bed, clarifying that he would take the couch, but I was already interrupting his home. I wasn’t about to kick him out of his bed.

	“Are you sure? I really don’t mind.”

	I smiled at him and said, “I’m sure. The couch is perfectly fine.”

	He nodded, stepping out to grab an extra pillow and blanket. He made sure I settled onto the couch okay, and I could feel him hovering. He was worried— understandably so. I stepped closer to him and wrapped my arms around his torso. I leaned my head against his chest, and his heart was pounding so hard I thought it might break free.

	“Thank you for your help tonight.”

	Asher’s body relaxed into the hug, and he rested his hand on the back of my head. “If you need anything, my room is the first one on the right.”

	He took a step back, looking ready to leave. My heart sank, thinking about him leaving. He left once without a kiss good night, and I didn’t want that to happen again. I grabbed his shirt, pulling him back into me. He stumbled forward, clearly confused, and I reached up on my toes, pulling him into a kiss.

	At first he didn’t know what to do with his hands, but then he grabbed my waist, deepening the kiss.

	The front door slammed shut, and Asher jumped back suddenly. Axel stood at the door, staring at us. He blinked a few times and then walked away, heading down the hall without a word. I couldn’t read his face. I worried he was upset at what he saw, but then I realized there was no reason for him to be upset. I almost wished there was a reason, though.

	Asher scratched the back of his head. “I should probably go. Good night, June.” He leaned forward and pecked my lips, keeping it brief.



	***



	ASHER

	I parted from Juniper, heat flooding my head. I got too carried away with her in a public space, and, of course, Axel had to be the one to walk in on me. If he hadn’t walked in, I didn’t know how far we would’ve gone, and that thought only heated me more.

	I didn’t go to my room. Instead, I knocked on Axel’s door. When there was no response, I cracked it open and peeked my head inside. Axel was lying on his bed with a book cracked open. His eyes flicked towards me, but then he returned to reading his book. He was angry. Most people would’ve counted him as passive, but I knew him better.

	“Can we talk?” I asked.

	“There’s nothing to talk about.”

	I stepped inside. I didn’t want to leave until I knew exactly why my brother was so upset. “I didn’t mean for anyone to walk in on that.”

	“Whatever.” He kept reading and was hardly paying attention.

	I stormed over and snatched the book from his hands. “Don’t give me this passive-aggressive B.S. If you are angry with me, just tell me to my face.”

	He sat up, glaring at me. “Well, now I’m pissed because you barged into my room and took my book. Why don’t you go back to Juniper?”

	“So you are upset that I brought her here.” Juniper seemed to be a sensitive subject these days, and we were all on edge. We never thought we’d see her again, and when we finally found her, she was being bullied by the whole school. All of us held a layer of guilt around us, knowing we abandoned her years ago.

	“No, it’s not. You do whatever you want. Just leave me out of it.” Axel rolled off the bed and took his book back from me. I didn’t fight him about it. “And maybe don’t bring her around here.”

	I rolled my eyes. He acted like he was fine, but I wondered if he realized how obvious his emotions were. “She needed a place to stay. Her roommate trashed her room, and she was upset. I didn’t want her to feel unsafe in her own place.”

	“I don’t want to see her!” Axel snapped. He threw his book on his desk.

	“What are you talking about? Aren’t you relieved she’s here?” I was over the moon to see her again, and Nathan was like a child on Christmas Eve. I didn’t know what the hell Ethan was thinking, and I didn’t really care. However, I fully expected Axel to be just as eager as me to see Juniper again.

	“No. I wish we never came across her. It’s only going to end in pain. You know Nathan is planning on trying to win her over, and who knows what Ethan has planned. Then you are there, forcing yourself into her life. Hasn’t our family done enough to her?” Axel growled in frustration and the storm in his eyes was raging more than normal.

	“I’m trying to help her, and Nathan is a puppy. He’s harmless. Juniper deserves to be happy, and I plan on making sure that happens.” 

	Axel had changed over the years. He was furious with our father and rebelled in every way he thought possible, but this attitude was a shock. I thought he rebelled because of how our father handled Juniper’s memory loss and then the loss of her parents, but now he was acting like she was a complete inconvenience.

	“Whatever.” Axel’s chest deflated, and he plopped down on his bed. He was done with this conversation.

	It was late, and I knew nothing productive would come out of this. I left, heading straight to my room, irritated that Axel could be so cold towards Juniper. He cared about her more than the rest of us once upon a time, and now he saw her as an inconvenience. Even if she didn’t remember us, she deserved better treatment from Axel.



	***



	JUNIPER

	I pressed my back against the wall, listening to Asher and Axel yell at each other. If I had known I’d end up causing an argument between the two of them, I would’ve never agreed to stay the night here. I debated going home, but it was late. I didn’t want to walk home by myself, and the mess in my room was just lying there, ready to taunt me.

	Asher stormed to his room, and I pressed myself against the wall, holding my breath. I didn’t want him to know I was listening to every word they said. When Asher’s door shut, I hurried to the couch and pulled the blankets over me.

	My head hit the pillow, but my eyes were wide, and my heart wouldn’t slow down. Axel didn’t want me here. He didn’t want to do anything with me, but that didn’t make any sense. He was the one who kissed me, not the other way around. He said that the kiss didn’t mean anything, but I didn’t want to believe it. People didn’t go around kissing strangers for no reason, especially not a kiss with that much passion.

	But apparently Axel did.

	I touched my lips. I had to forget about it. Clearly, it didn’t mean anything to Axel, and it was unfair to Asher. Asher was wonderful, and I could tell I was falling for him already. The way he made me smile and laugh felt like an old memory that came back to warm my heart. We had only been on one official date, but I already knew that he was special, and the two of us could be something special together.

	I just had to forget about Axel.

	I was just an inconvenience in his life. Nothing more.

	I closed my eyes, wishing my body to fall asleep, but my mind didn’t stop racing. The events of the night spun through my head, going back and forth between Axel and Asher, then bouncing over to Moira and what I was going to do about my living situation. 

	Sleep felt impossible.



	***



	AXEL

	I couldn’t sleep. Asher was pissed at me, rightfully so. The things I said were horrible and untrue. I liked having Juniper around, seeing her smile, smelling her perfume in the air. I liked it too much, and when I saw his lips on her, my wolf roared, wanting to be let loose to tear the place up. I didn’t want Asher to be with Juniper, but I wanted both of them to be happy.

	I thought if I kept my cool on the outside and walked away, it’d just disappear. Asher knew me too well, though. Even if my face was neutral, he knew I was upset. I tried to brush it off, because I couldn’t tell him the truth. I couldn’t tell him I was jealous of him with Juniper. So I lied.

	I pretended like I didn’t care about Juniper, because the alternative wasn’t an option. What I said about our family doing too much to her was already enough. After the accident, we abandoned her with no memory of the past. Even when her parents died, we were ordered to stay away. My father may have been the one to give the order, but we all listened. Juniper needed us, and we betrayed her.

	The worst part was she knew nothing about it. 

	I got up, knowing I wasn’t going to sleep any time soon. It had been a full hour since Asher left my room, and there was no sign of the sandman anywhere. I left my room and went to the kitchen, hoping a glass of warm milk would calm my thoughts and lure sleep to me.

	As I made it to the kitchen, a figure lurched forward from the couch. Even in the dark, Juniper’s silhouette showed just how tense she was. She was in a strange place and likely heard me walking through the living room with heavy feet. I should have tried to be stealthier, but I was distracted and forgot she was here.

	I flipped on the light in the kitchen and held up my hands. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

	“You didn’t.” She pulled her feet to her chest and watched me closely. 

	I tried to ignore her stares and grabbed milk, a glass, and a pot. I flicked the stove on and started heating up the liquid. 

	“Sorry for intruding on your space. I’ll leave first thing in the morning.” She chewed on her lip. She seemed to have a habit of that when she was nervous.

	“You heard Asher and me talking.” That wasn’t supposed to have happened. I wanted Asher to think I didn’t want anything to do with Juniper, but I didn’t want her to think that way.

	“You guys weren’t exactly whispering.”

	I nodded, knowing our volumes were inappropriate. There was a chance that even Nathan had heard our conversation from his room.

	I poured the milk into the pot and asked, “Do you want some? It helps me sleep.”

	“I thought you hated me.”

	“I don’t hate you.” I didn’t want to lie to her.

	She stood up and sat on one of the barstools. “I’ll take some.”

	I nodded and continued heating up the milk. Neither of us spoke during the process. I kept my eyes on the stove, but I felt her eyes on me. When it was done, I poured it into two separate glasses. I passed her glass to her from the other side of the counter. I stayed standing on the other side, knowing it was best to keep the space between us.

	She wrapped her fingers around the mug, but she didn’t take a sip. “Did our kiss really mean nothing to you?”

	Of course it meant something to me. It meant the world. I couldn’t say the words in my head, and I didn’t want to lie again, so I said, “You’re dating my brother.”

	She thought about this for a moment and then took a sip of the milk. “We’ve been on one date.”

	“He likes you, and you like him. Am I wrong?” My heart raced as I thought about the weight behind her words. I didn’t know what she wanted me to say. Did she want me to say that the kiss meant more to me than she could understand? Even if I did admit the truth, I couldn’t imagine her ditching Asher for me. He was the gentleman who bought her roses and took her on a fancy date. I saw the passion in their kiss. Even if I told her how I felt, she wouldn’t ditch Asher.

	“No.”

	“I think it’s best if we keep distance between us then.” This suggestion pained me, but I knew it was for the best. I didn’t want to fight Asher for Juniper. I didn’t want to get in the way of their happiness.

	“But you don’t hate me.” Her eyes were clear, and even though neither of us said it explicitly, she knew why I needed to stay away.

	“I don’t hate you.” I picked up my mug and leaned against the counter. “I do care about Asher.”

	“He’s a good guy,” she said.

	“The best.” As far as I was concerned, he was the best of the Burrell brothers. I pushed off the counter and started walking to my room. “Good night, J.J. Try to get some sleep. I have a feeling the morning is going to be a bit chaotic.”

	“Night. Thanks for the milk, Axel.”

	I ignored the way my spine tingled at the way she said my name.

Chapter 16 - The Four Beta Brothers